CXXI. TO THE SAME. Old Bond-street, Jan. 1, [1768.] Not knowing whether the moisture of the weather will permit me to give my kind friends in Gerrardstreet a call this morning for five minutes I beg leave to send them all the good wishes, compliments, and respects I owe them. I continue to mend, and doubt not but this, with all other evils and uncertainties of life, will end for the best. I send all compliments to your firesides this Sunday-night Ascough the wise, Miss the pretty, and so on. I beg my dear Mrs. J - Miss Pigot the witty, your daughter If Lord O- is with you, will present the inclosed to him 'twill add to the millions of obligations I already owe you. — I am sorry that I am no subscriber to Soho this season it deprives me of a pleasure worth twice the subscription --- but I am just going to send about this quarter of the town, to see if it is not too late to procure a ticket, undisposed of, from some of my Soho friends; and, if I can succeed, I will either send or wait upon you with it by half an hour after three to-morrow if not, my friend will do me the justice to believe me truly miserable. I am half engaged, or more, for dinner on Sunday next, but will try to get disengaged in order to be with my friends. If I cannot, I will glide like a shadow uninvited to Gerrard-street some day this week, that we may eat our bread and meat in love and peace together. God bless you both! I am, with the most sincere regard, Your ever obliged, L. STERNE. CXXII. TO THE SAME. Old Bond-street, Monday. MY DEAR FRIENDS, I HAVE never been a moment at rest since I wrote yesterday about this Soho ticket I have been at a Secretary of State to get one have been upon one knee to my friend Sir G- M-, Mr. Lascelles and Mr. Fitzmaurice without mentioning five more I believe I could as soon get you a place at Court, for every body is going but I will go out and try a new circle and if you do not hear from me by a quarter after three, you may conclude I have been unfortunate in my supplications - I send you this state of the affair, lest my silence should make you think I had neglected what I promised but no Mrs. J knows me better, and would never suppose it would be out of the head of one who is with so much truth Her faithful friend, L. STERNE. CXXIII. TO THE SAME. Thursday, Old Bond-street. A THOUSAND thanks, and as many excuses, my dear friends, for the trouble my blunder has given you. By a second note I am astonished I could read Saturday for Sunday, or make any mistake in a card wrote by Mrs. J-s, in which my friend is as unrivalled, as in a hundred greater excellencies. I am now tied down neck and heels (twice over) by engagements every day this week, or most joyfully would have trod the old pleasing road from Bond to Gerrard-street. My books will be to be had on Thurs -- day, but possibly on Wednesday in the afternoon. I am quite well, but exhausted with a room full of company every morning till dinner. How do I lament I cannot eat my morsel (which is always sweet) with such kind friends! The Sunday following I will assuredly wait upon you both and will come a quarter before four, that I may have both a little time and a little day-light, to see Mrs. J's picture beg leave to assure my friends of my gratitude for all their favours, with my sentimental thanks for every token of their good-will. Adieu, my dear friends I am truly yours, CXXIV. L. STERNE. I FROM DR. EUSTACE, IN AMERICA, TO THE REV. MR. STERNE, WITH A WALKING-STICK. SIR, WHEN I assure you that I am a great admirer of Tristram Shandy, and have, ever since his introduction into the world, been one of his most zealous defenders against the repeated assaults of prejudice and misapprehension, I hope you will not treat this unexpected appearance in his company as an intrusion. You know it is an observation, as remarkable for its truth as for its antiquity, that a similitude of sentiments is the general parent of friendship. It cannot be wondered at that I should conceive an esteem for a person whom nature had most indulgently enabled to frisk and curvet with ease through all these intricacies of sentiments, which, from irresistible propensity, she had impelled me to trudge through without merit or distinction. The only reason that gave rise to this address to you is my accidentally having met with a piece of true Shandean statuary, I mean, according to vulgar opinion, for to such judges both appear equally destitute of regularity or design it was made by a very ingenious gentleman of this province, and presented to the late governor Dobbs; after his death Mrs. D. gave it me: its singularity made many desirous of procuring it; but I had resolved at first not to part with it, till, upon reflection, I thought it would be a very proper, and probably not an unacceptable, compliment to my favourite author, and in his hands might prove as ample a field for meditation as a buttonhole, or a broom-stick. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. CXXV. MR. STERNE'S ANSWER. SIR, London, February 9, 1768. I THIS moment received your obliging letter, and Shandean piece of sculpture along with it, of both which testimonies of your regard I have the justest sense, and return you, dear Sir, my best thanks and acknowledgment. Your walking-stick is in no sense more Shandaick than in that of its having more handles than one: the parallel breaks, only in this, that, in using the stick, every one will take the handle which suits his convenience. In Tristram Shandy, the handle is taken which suits their passions, their ignorance, or their sensibility. There is so little true feeling in the herd of the world that I wish I could have got an act of parliament, when the books first appeared, that none but wise men should look into them. It is too much to write books, and find heads to understand them; the world, however, seems to come into a better temper about them, the people of genius here being to a man on its side; and the reception it has met with in France, Italy, and Germany, has engaged one part of the world to give it a second reading. The other, in order to be on the strongest side, has at length agreed to speak well of it too. A few hypocrites and Tartuffes, whose approbation could do it nothing but dishonour, remain unconverted. I am very proud, Sir, to have had a man like you on my side from the beginning; but it is not in the power of every one to taste humour, however he may wish it; it is the gift of God; and besides, a true feeler always brings half the entertainment along with him; his own ideas are only called forth by what he reads, and the vibrations within him entirely correspond with those excited 'Tis like reading himself and not the book. In a week's time I shall be delivered of two volumes of the Sentimental Travels of Mr. Yorick through France and Italy; but alas! the ship sails three days too soon, and I have but to lament it deprives me of the pleasure of presenting them to you. Believe me, dear Sir, with great thanks for the honour you have done me, with true esteem, Your obliged humble servant, LAURENCE STERNE. CXXVI. TO L. S -N, ESQ. DEAR SIR, - Old Bond-street, Wednesday. YOUR commendations are very flattering. I know no one whose judgment I think more highly of, but |